Effects of Low-Dose Doxycycline on Oral Bone Loss

Inclusion Criteria: Subjects will be female, postmenopausal and not receiving estrogen replacement therapy. Subjects will be 45-70 years old at the time of telephone screening. Subjects will have osteopenia (T-score of -1.0 to -2.5) of the lumbar spine or femoral neck as determined by dual-energy absorptiometry (DEXA) scans. Subjects will have a history of generalized moderate-advanced periodontitis and will be undergoing periodontal maintenance. Subjects will be in good general health and willing to sign the IRB-approved consent form. Exclusion Criteria: Subjects will not have an allergy or hypersensitivity to tetracyclines. Subjects will not have diseases or take medications that affect the inflammatory or immune responses (e.g., chronic use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or bone remodeling (e.g., drugs such as prescription estrogens, bisphosphonates, calcitonin or steroids). Subjects will not have any medical condition requiring antibiotic premedication (e.g., prosthetic heart valves, prosthetic joints, and mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation) for routine dental therapy. Subjects cannot have diabetes mellitus. Subjects cannot have had active periodontal therapy (quadrant scaling and root planing or periodontal surgery) within the past year. Subjects cannot have osteoporosis (T-score greater than -2.5) of the lumbar spine or femoral neck.